MyEnviroMind

Imagine yourself 30 years from now. Imagine yourself looking back, reflecting on your time spent on this Earth. What will you think? "Just look at how far we've come" How far will we go? It's hard to depict what the future will be like. It seems to get harder as the years go on and the potential for technological innovations expand. It's quite possible that technology will have dramatically altered how we look at and experience life. It's likely that the reality (and virtual realities) we shall experience are far from our present imaginations. But how far will we actually go? Two days ago the Collins Dictionary announced their word of the year for 2018: Single-use - made to be used once only. Much of the four-fold increase in the use of the term can be attributed to the moving scenes of BBC's Blue Planet II. Once again the power of the arts shook society from its paralysis, awakening its disconnected environmental consciousne...

Tired of feeling immobile? Frustrated with government inaction? Hungry for a safer world which lies within reach? So was Jamie. Structured by social norms and societal patterns, autonomy, acting independently, is hard to come by. Whilst many academics and public figures refute the existence of a 'society' (to quote Margaret Thatcher (1987), "there's no such thing as a society"), a multitude of others suggest that the existence of a society provides rational to the current environmental crisis. Why can't I seem to reduce my energy consumption? Why can't I realise my goal to eliminate my plastic waste? Why can't I just live sustainably? Dale Southerton, professor at the University of Manchester, and Jo Mylan (2016), research fellow at the same uni, believe that society constrains people's ability to act out of their own will. True? I'd like to open the debate up to you in the comments below. Personally, I feel that such constraints do exi...

I think it is about time to head back to the major subject in hand; that one topic which encompasses and feeds off all of the rest; climate change. For those of us who struggle to stick to our anti-climate change resolutions (it saddens me to say that I quite regularly fall into this category) and those of us who just can't seem to be able to take that one extra step towards sustainability (be it eating less meat & dairy, going zero-waste or switching to commuting by bike) this article unveils some interesting finds about human psychology and the power of society. A study funded by the European Union's Research and Innovation programme, Horizon 2020, the following was discovered and then written in Leo Barasi's recent article for  The Guardian : "In most European countries, about three-quarters of the public say they’re worried about climate change, yet less than a third would accept higher taxes on fossil fuels to cut emissions." Barasi calls this...

"If the current destruction of the rainforest continues, then I have absolutely no hope that any orangutans will remain in the wild." Alan Knight, Chief Executive, International Animal Rescue. As Summer draws to a close, so does my Palm Oil study. And wow, am I grateful for what I have learned. Yet, before I rush into my next adventure, I find it important to remind myself that this is not the end of the story. The tragic biography of the world's rainforests has not yet concluded and continues to be rewritten by one species alone. The wise (wo)man has just begun to realise the immense scale of her or his own footprint on this world. The need to act to save the orangutan's native land, shared with our sisters and brothers of indigenous tribes, becomes ever-increasing. So much so that if we fail to commit to the duties of this planet, the consequences, scarily unknown to us, will bring the entire life-system closer to breaking point. Mother Earth is being pushed...

We're caught in a trap. Going in circles. Repeatedly being warned by the same sinister depictions of an increasingly luming dystopia whilst simultaneously failing to embrace a new plastic-free, organic and environmentally friendly way of life. Psychologists would say this is because we fail to accurately judge the future and prefer instant satisfaction to a chance of an even more satisfying event which may or may not happen later on. Do you want to go to the gym today for a healthier you tomorrow, or do you want to watch a film? Do you want to heat your home today or heat it tomorrow? Do you want to be able to heat your home today or live sustainably in 2050? As someone who is only 18 and will be 50 years old in 2050, that point in space-time seems far beyond my me. So many uncertainties; it is a future I cannot depict with any degree of accuracy.  Now, though, why do you think we are failing to remove ourselves from the road of 'business as usual?' If I asked you t...

You're out doing your weekly shop at the supermarket, grabbing the essentials (whilst sneaking in a few luxuries). You've got your organic vegetables, free range eggs and locally sourced milk. Your "environmental folklore", as sustainability strategist Leyla Acaroglu calls it, is buzzing with excitement. ( Click here to see Leyla's insightful TEDTalk which encourages us to re-think what classifies as a 'green' product ). Even at the till, you refuse plastic carrier bags because you're the environmental superhero who remembered their recycled and reusable bags. #winning. But, alas, every hero has their kryptonite. You take the biodiesel bus home, tuck into a vegan sandwich whilst you read this blog post and realise your downfall: Palm Oil. Hidden in around half of all packaged goods in supermarkets, palm oil is probably the most widely used and little known culprit of environmental degradation. It is in detergent and margarine, lipstick and slic...

In 2013, researchers examined the skull of a male orangutan who was killed in a human-wildlife conflict in Northern Sumatra. Oddly, the anatomical structure of the skull differed significantly from those of other orangutans and stimulated intrigue among the scientific community. On 2nd November 2017, a new species of orangutan was declared; the Tapanuli orangutan. Source:  https://redapes.org/projects-partners/socp/tapanuli-orangutans/ Discovered less than a year ago, the Tapanuli orangutan is also the most endangered of all the Great Apes with less than 800 individuals existing in the wild. With threats of deforestation, wildfires and hunting becoming evermore fierce, the future of our cousins looks bleak. The challenges extend further in that the species is endemic - it is only found in this one location in Borneo in the whole world. As a result, ex situ breeding programmes risk doing more harm than good to the 'gene pool' of the orangutans. Not only might this res...

You are probably wondering why my focus on palm oil has fazed out. Or, more bluntly, why I haven't posted in 3 weeks (sorry, folks). Well, for once, I have a good reason.  The last couple of weeks have been ones of discovery, novelty and fascination. Through exploring the emerging hubbubs of human civilisations and becoming part of the tranquil landscapes which teemed with nature, I explored a glorious place; Uganda.  Forgive the diversion, with the permission of several communities, I feel a heavy urge to share my experience with you. Perhaps, together, we could find some answers to the questions I still ponder over? Also, at the request of several communities, I wish to share the unheard stories of people living in this wondrous land. I present to you the Pearl of Africa. To Mityana Source: Own Innovat ive - Uganda is one of the poorest nations in the world. In 2012, over a third of the population lived on less than $1.25 a day. The stats also show us t...

Exams - Are - Over During this past year, A Levels took their footing and I'm afraid the blogging had to take a step back. Nonetheless I am grateful for the ideas and concepts I've learned and, hopefully, they will come of good use here. This Summer, I've decided to focus on one topic: Palm Oil.  All the way from production to distribution to consumption. It's use, detrimental environmental effects and what alternatives we have. An ever pressing issue, I hope to showcase our entanglement with such monstrous acts and how we are, consciously, walking into our own extinction. The aim: to reduce the unsustainable use of palm oil. For this, I need your help. Indonesia is the biggest producer of Palm Oil globally. What's more, "less than 10% of companies in Borneo (an island of which almost two thirds lies in Indonesia) produce palm oil using sustainable methods to an international standard." - According to a BBC documentary in 2018;  Red Ape: ...

So much has been achieved. There is so much to be proud of. But there is no time to waste.